An MP has joined Observer readers in slamming plans to increase pay for Members of Parliament by 11 per cent.

Graham Jones, MP for Hyndburn and Haslingden, branded the proposals due to be announced the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) on Thursday, as “ridiculous”.

The plans to raise MPs’ pay from £66,396 to £74,000 have been condemned by all three party leaders but IPSA say their pay has fallen behind in recent years.

Mr Jones said: “I think it’s a total shambles, it’s ridiculous. Why you would have a pay rise when everyone else has a cost of living crisis beggars belief.

“What they’re doing to pay is bizarre.

“I don’t know what can be done about it because this organisation is separate from Parliament and the public didn’t want MPs to set their own salaries.”

The rise, which would come into effect in May 2015, forms part of a package of changes to members’ salaries and benefits which would see some allowances scrapped.

MPs currently earn a basic salary of £66,396 but the IPSA say in light of scrapping some of the benefits a one-off rise in pay is justified.

Observer readers took to our Facebook page to voice their disapproval at the proposal.

Ste Atkinson said: “They should be so ashamed as I am of the way this country is heading: children starving, old people dying with fuel poverty and can’t look after themselves, education got worst report ever and job centres full of people crying out for work.

“Government are the biggest benefit scroungers in this country and have no idea about the real world.

“How is it cuts affect hard working people while they live a lifestyle most people dream about?” Caroline Addison added: “I didn’t get a pay rise this year because the company I work for said they couldn’t afford it.

“This has happened to a lot of people this year, so why should MPs be any different because the country can’t afford to give them a pay rise either.